Kittilä municipal officials appeal corruption convictions in final court hearing

Prosecutors have demanded harsher penalties for seven Kittilä municipal officials convicted of abuse of office in a long-running case over the appointment of a municipal engineer, while the defendants deny any conspiracy, Yle reports.

The Rovaniemi Court of Appeal is reviewing the case, which centres on allegations that the officials systematically blocked the most qualified candidate, Pentti Kangas, from being selected for the position between 2017 and 2020. Kangas, a former acting municipal engineer, was also a supporter of Anna Mäkelä, the municipality’s former director who was unlawfully dismissed in a separate but related case.

In 2023, the Lapland District Court convicted seven Kittilä decision-makers of abuse of office, issuing day-fine penalties. Two trustees and a former technical director were acquitted. The court also ordered the municipality and the convicted officials to jointly compensate Kangas. Both the prosecution and the defendants have appealed the ruling.

Prosecutors argue the case involved a deliberate conspiracy to exclude Kangas, with regional prosecutor Katri Junnikkala-Heikkinen stating that an “unofficial list” existed of individuals targeted for removal. “The municipality was divided. There was an informal list of people who had to go,” she told the court.

Defence lawyers reject the conspiracy claim, insisting the case reflects differing opinions on the candidates’ suitability. “People tend to invent all kinds of conspiracy theories. This isn’t one. It’s just a matter of differing views,” said Petteri Kavonius, one of the defendants’ legal representatives.

The prosecution is seeking tougher penalties, including fines for those previously acquitted, while the municipality demands the dismissal of compensation claims and for Kangas to cover its legal costs. The appeal hearing is expected to last three weeks.

The case is the latest in a series of legal disputes stemming from Kittilä’s municipal governance, including the 2023 Supreme Court conviction of former municipal board chair Timo Kurula for abuse of office in the dismissal of Anna Mäkelä. In 2024, Kurula was also convicted of attempted fraud and dereliction of duty in a separate case involving unauthorised legal expenses.